Stencil printing system and apparatus



Patented Mar. Z0, 1928.

rrr-1n gine HARMON P. ELLOTT, OF WATERTOWN, lMASSlrCI-ITJ'SEIllS.

STENCIL PRINTING SYSTEM AD APPARATUS.

.application filed January 25, 1927. Serial No. 163,525. Y

This invention relates to stencil printing systems and apparatus and this application is a continuation in part of my co-pendmg application Serial No. 160,872, filed January 13, 1927.

In the addressing of envelopesV and the like' by' machines employing a collection of stencils bearing the addresses, thev stencils when not in actual use are keptusually in classified order in filing drawers of uniform dimenisons., lNhen the stencils are to be used for printing they are removed from the drawers and placed in' the hoppers or holders of stencil printing machines in the same order in which they are maintained in the A drawers. The stencils are moved in successiveorder from the hopper and are fed throughthe stencil printing machine and are then delivered in the same order into a second hopper or receiver from which they are adapted to be removed and replaced 1n the drawers.

This invention relates to and has for its object the provision of a loading or transfer tray having provision for transferring to it the entire contents of a drawer and for transferring yto the hopper y,of the stencil printing machine at one operation the. entire contents of the tray thereby facilitating the loading of the machine. The tray is further characterized by being adapted to receive the contents ofthe receiver of the used stencils and' to transfer the used stencils into theempty drawer in the same order in which they were originally-disposed. Affurther object is a stencil hopper or holder for a stencil printing machine especially adaptedl to cooperatewith the transfer tray.

A further object of this invention is generally to improve upon stencil printing apparatus and systems.

Fig. 1 1s a perspective viewv of a transfer tray embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail showing 'the disposition of the tray in position to receive the entire Acollection of stencils in a stencil ling drawer.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but 1llustrating the final position of the stencilsV within the transfer tray and with the drawer inverted in condition to be withdrawn.

Fig. 4: is a sectional view along line 4,-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the collection of stencils in the tray is transferred as a unit to the stencil holder of a stencil printing machine.

The 'stencils a are normally kept in classified order in a single row in drawers having the bottom wall 10, end walls 12, one of which is here shown, and side walls 14, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The drawers are. open at the top. v f

. The stencil transfer tray embodying this invention comprises a generally channelshaped member open at its opposite ends and top and having a bottom wall 16 andthe two integral upstanding spaced side walls 18. Said side walls are each relleXed outwardly to provide the opposed parallel shelves'20 which are in the same plane and are spaced suitably above the bottom wall- 16. The side walls are again reeXed upwardly at the sides of the shelves to provide upstanding sections 22 of suitable height and are then reflexed outwardly to provide a second set of parallel opposedshelves 24:. The side walls are again refleXed upwardly at the outer sides lof said second shelves to provide the approximately parallel sections 26. The width of the loading tray below the lowermost shelves 18 is adapted to be less than the length of a stencil and the space below said shelves is adapted to receive a stripper plate of a stencil hopper` or holder of the stencil printing machine. 'y

When the collection of stencils is in the tray, thek stencils are adapted to rest on edge on the lowermost shelves 20 as shown in Fig. 3, the opposed vertical sections 22 of the sidewalls holdin'gthe stencils in alignment'. The tray is provided with upstanding' resilient lingers 28l atthe ends thereof which arelocated at the ends of and in line with the shelves 20 and are adapted to prevent thecollection of stencils from endwise movement out of the tray. The distance between the sets of fingers is adaptedto be approximately the length of the stencil space within a stencil filing drawer.

In transferring the contents ofa drawer to the stencil tray the drawer is withdrawn from its cabinet and the tray is inverted on top of the drawer with the spring lingers 28 disposed between the stencils and the ends of the drawer and with the upper shelves 24Cv resting upon the top side edges of the drawer as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.- The drawer andthe tray are then inverted and the stencils thus fall into the tray and the drawer can be withdrawn thereby lill transferring at one operation the entire collection of stencils in the drawer, as a unit, into the tray.

The stencil holderotl a stencil lprinting machine adapted for cooperation with the transfer tray is illustrated in Fig. 5 and has a pair of vert-ical side wallsSO, one being here shown, and a rear wall 32. The holder also-hasajrontwall 36 whichcomprises a stripper plate. Saidplate is attached to the holder only at the bottom and is free from connection with and is spaced from the side walls ofgthe holder.

.In transferring the stencils from the tray tothe holder, thetransfer tray Withthecollection ot' stencils therein is held above the stencil holder with the stencilsaligned withthe .stencil space in `the holder and wit-h the Stlpperplate inlposition to enter the space below the stencils and abovetlie rear wall 16. The transfer tray is then moved downwardlyinto the position illustrated in Fig. v5 with the .stencils entirely within the holderk and with the stripper plate disposedbehind-all of the stencils in the collection. The tray is then moved laterally intoaposition illustratedin'the dotted line, Eig. 5. The edgesot theestencils are brought against the stripper plate which holds them from further movement but permits the transfer tray `to lbe `stripped clear ot `the stencils which thereupon are free from the tray inthe holder. .'llhestencil receiver of the` stencil printing machine is similar in construct-ion to the holder thus described and the collectionrof stencils in the receiverfcan be withdrawn by'lreversing the .operation above described.

The stencil holder herein described is claimed lin Vmy.above-named copending application.

I claim:

vl. A Vtransfer .tray for a collection of stencils open at theendsand having a bottom wall andupstanding opposed side walls formed with a pair off, opposed parallel sten cil-supporting shelves spaced above said bot-A tom .,.wall said side .walls ,also having a second ,pair of opposed parallel shelves disposed vabove said stencil supporting yshelves and below;the tops of said walls, and stencilfretaining members'upstanding above and in line with said stencil-supporting shelves atthe ends thereof.

A transfer tray for a collection of stencils open v at Vthe ends and having a bot- 3. The combination of the stencil holder or" .a stencil .printing machineadapted kto contain apile of superimposed stencilsvtherein, and altrayadapted'to.contain a column of edgewisefsupported Stencils and. to deliverthem intosaid holder, vsaid holdercharacterized by having vertical vside yand rear walls and a vertical front'wall which is spaced fromsaid side andrear walls, said tray characterized `by comprising an openended channel shaped member having a bottom walland opposed spaced upstand-y ing side walls, said side walls'having opposed parallel stencil-supporting rshelves which are spaced above said bottom wall, the space below said stencilssupporting shelves and the'bottomofsaid member'being open atv least at one end and adaptedV to receive said front plate of said stencil holder with the stencils contained in said tray being located within said holder, whereby saidt-ray can befwithdrawn'laterally from said holder -to deposit therein its collection of stencils, said front plate engaging bottom edges Aof thestencil's ofthecollection and Eretaining them .motionless lin the holder during such withdraw-ingmovement.

,4. A transfertray for a collection of sten-v cils having spacetl parallel sidewalls pro vided `with spaced parallel stencil-supporting i shelves adapted to support a collection of edgewisef'disposed stencils thereon,-`the space between and below said shelves `being Yopen foracces's to `,thebottom edges of said Astencils, and stencil-retaining means located at the ends of and .upstanding above said shelves and also Vabove said side walls and constituting end-supports for 'the stencils when they are clear of the 'interior ofthe tray.

In testimony whereof, :I'have Asigned my nameto this specification.

HARMoNPfELLIofr-T. Y 

